If you haven’t been working out for a while and plan to get back at it, your body will punish you. All those grilled wings you have been chowing down will come back to haunt you and you will probably want to quit a million times, but then again winners never quit.
While it is not be easy, having the right attitude and managing your expectations will do you a lot of good. You may want to avoid these things:
Inadequate Hydration
You already know that you will sweat buckets, so you want to drink enough water before, during, and after a workout to avoid feeling woozy. You know how you get to the end of one set (with three to go) and feel as though you can’t do any more? It could be a result of dehydration. A study done on athletes showed that performance is impaired when you are dehydrated with as little as 2% of your body weight. So, do us all a favor and keep a bottle of water close.
Working out Alone
Okay, let’s agree on one thing: personal trainers are slave drivers. They will make you do weird HIIT workouts that will leave you fighting to keep your heart in your chest, but they are a necessary evil. They will hold your hand (uumm, not really-more like demand that you hold a plank for eternity), and show you complex workouts that will give you results in due time. Of course, consistency is key, followed closely by a clean diet.
Doing Too Much
It’s only day one, cowboy, so stop showing off, or you will suffer serious DOMS! DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) is just a fancy abbreviation for the worst pain you have ever felt after a strenuous workout session. It will typically last 24 -72 hours after a workout, and you will only feel the pain when you exert pressure on that part of your body.
PS. Leg day will have you singing in strange languages when taking the stairs or God forbid, squat to do that all-important business in the you-know-where. You’re welcome.
Failing to Stretch
Stretching is not for sissies. Naaa. Get your stretch on if you hope to walk normally after a proper leg workout. When muscles are in recovery, they tend to get a bit tight, and stretching gently will loosen them. You can opt for a massage which will not only ease the soreness but also improve blood circulation to nourish your aching muscles and lead to faster healing.
Miss the Next Workout
Work out, Rest, Repeat: let that be your new normal, and then find a notary lawyer near you to commit this to paper. Kidding!
You didn’t suffer all that pain on day one only to start all over again in a week. People whose bodies look like they were sculpted by the gods work out more than once a week. They are consistent and focused. They also eat to burn fat (topic for another day).
So, see you at the gym?